diff --git a/Changelog.md b/Changelog.md
--- a/Changelog.md
+++ b/Changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,16 @@
 # Change log for esqueleto text search 
 
+## Version 1.3.0
++ Update misleading tsquery and and or
++ expose underlying lists in search terms
+  + you may get some breaking change since SearchTerm no longer exists.
+    It should be replaced with `NonEmpty (TsQuery Words)`.
+    I thought it better to just cleanup since the library is still rather young.
++ remove search term datatype in favor of underlying.
+  I realized the newtype would be heavy to maintain for little benefit
++ Add alternative api which is simpler using the word algebra,
+  added some examples in the docs which use these.
+
 ## Version 1.2.1
 + Update misleading docs
 
diff --git a/esqueleto-textsearch.cabal b/esqueleto-textsearch.cabal
--- a/esqueleto-textsearch.cabal
+++ b/esqueleto-textsearch.cabal
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 cabal-version:      3.0
 name:               esqueleto-textsearch
-version:            1.2.1
+version:            1.3.0
 synopsis:           PostgreSQL full text search for Esqueleto
 description:        PostgreSQL text search functions for Esqueleto.
 homepage:           https://github.com/jappeace/esqueleto-textsearch
diff --git a/src/Database/Esqueleto/TextSearch.hs b/src/Database/Esqueleto/TextSearch.hs
--- a/src/Database/Esqueleto/TextSearch.hs
+++ b/src/Database/Esqueleto/TextSearch.hs
@@ -4,15 +4,12 @@
 --
 --   see the [readme](https://hackage.haskell.org/package/esqueleto-textsearch#tutorial) for a full tutorial.
 module Database.Esqueleto.TextSearch (
-   (@@.)
-  , prefixAndQuery
-  , prefixOrQuery
-  , toSearchTerm
-  , SearchTerm
+    toSearchTerm
+  , to_tsquery_en
+  , andWords
+  , orWords
+  , (@@.)
   , ts_rank
-  , defaultWeights
-  , Weights (..)
-  , RegConfig
   , NormalizationOption(..)
   , module Database.Esqueleto.TextSearch.Language
   , module Database.Esqueleto.TextSearch.Types
diff --git a/src/Database/Esqueleto/TextSearch/Language.hs b/src/Database/Esqueleto/TextSearch/Language.hs
--- a/src/Database/Esqueleto/TextSearch/Language.hs
+++ b/src/Database/Esqueleto/TextSearch/Language.hs
@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@
   , prefixOrQueryLang
   , toSearchTerm
   , toSearchTermWeighted
-  , SearchTerm
+  , andWords
+  , orWords
   , to_tsvector
   , to_tsquery
+  , to_tsquery_en
   , plainto_tsquery
   , ts_rank
   , ts_rank_cd
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@
 --   for example:
 --
 -- @
--- searchCompany :: SqlExpr (Entity CompanySearchIndex) -> SearchTerm -> SqlQuery ()
+-- searchCompany :: SqlExpr (Entity CompanySearchIndex) -> NonEmpty (TsQuery Words) -> SqlQuery ()
 -- searchCompany company term = do
 --   let query = prefixAndQuery term
 --       norm = val []
@@ -62,12 +64,34 @@
   -> SqlExpr (Value TsVector)
 to_tsvector a b = unsafeSqlFunction "to_tsvector" (a, b)
 
+-- | constructs a lexeme query out of a word algebra
+--   english is the internal model used by postgres.
+--
+--   @
+-- searchCompany :: SqlExpr (Entity CompanySearchIndex) -> Text -> SqlQuery ()
+-- searchCompany company term = do
+--   let query = to_tsquery (val "english") $ val $ andWords $ prefixAndQuery term
+--   where_ $ (company ^. CompanySearchIndexDocument) @@. query
+--   @
+--
 to_tsquery
   :: SqlExpr (Value RegConfig)
   -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Words))
   -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes) )
 to_tsquery a b = unsafeSqlFunction "to_tsquery" (a, b)
 
+-- | 'to_tsquery' defaulted to english
+--
+--   @
+-- searchCompany :: SqlExpr (Entity CompanySearchIndex) -> Text -> SqlQuery ()
+-- searchCompany company term = do
+--   let query = to_tsquery_en $ val $ andWords $ prefixAndQuery term
+--   where_ $ (company ^. CompanySearchIndexDocument) @@. query
+--   @
+--
+to_tsquery_en :: SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Words)) -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
+to_tsquery_en = to_tsquery (val "english")
+
 plainto_tsquery
   :: SqlExpr (Value RegConfig)
   -> SqlExpr (Value Text)
@@ -79,7 +103,7 @@
 --   for example:
 --
 -- @
--- searchCompany :: SqlExpr (Entity CompanySearchIndex) -> SearchTerm -> SqlQuery ()
+-- searchCompany :: SqlExpr (Entity CompanySearchIndex) -> NonEmpty (TsQuery Words) -> SqlQuery ()
 -- searchCompany company term = do
 --   let query = prefixAndQuery term
 --       norm = val []
@@ -113,25 +137,34 @@
 
 -- | (&&) for tsquery. This function would be called (&&.) but
 -- Esqueleto's (&&.) confines that fn to sql boolean expressions.
+--
+-- @
 -- x::tsquery && y::tsquery == to_tsquery('x & y')
+-- @
+--
 tsquery_and :: SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
       -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
       -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
 tsquery_and = unsafeSqlBinOp "&&"
 
 -- | (||) for tsquery. This function would be called (&&.) but
--- Esqueleto's (&&.) confines that fn to sql boolean expressions.
--- x::tsquery && y::tsquery == to_tsquery('x & y')
+-- Esqueleto's (||.) confines that fn to sql boolean expressions.
+--
+-- @
+-- x::tsquery || y::tsquery == to_tsquery('x | y')
+-- @
+--
 tsquery_or :: SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
       -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
       -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
 tsquery_or = unsafeSqlBinOp "||"
 
+{-# DEPRECATED prefixAndQuery, prefixAndQueryLang, prefixOrQuery, prefixOrQueryLang, prefixAndQueryLangWith "these functions are simple wrappers for 'to_tsquery', use that directly instead" #-}
 -- | format the query into lexemes
 --   the result can be used in '@@.' for example:
 --
 -- @
--- searchCompany :: SqlExpr (Entity CompanySearchIndex) -> SearchTerm -> SqlQuery ()
+-- searchCompany :: SqlExpr (Entity CompanySearchIndex) -> (NonEmpty (TsQuery Words)) -> SqlQuery ()
 -- searchCompany company term = do
 --   let query = prefixAndQuery term
 --       norm = val []
@@ -139,34 +172,35 @@
 -- @
 --
 --  this uses && to combine queries
-prefixAndQuery :: SearchTerm -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
+prefixAndQuery :: (NonEmpty (TsQuery Words)) -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
 prefixAndQuery = prefixAndQueryLang "english"
 
 -- | specify a language to be used with the query.
-prefixAndQueryLang :: RegConfig -> SearchTerm -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
+prefixAndQueryLang :: RegConfig -> (NonEmpty (TsQuery Words)) -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
 prefixAndQueryLang = prefixAndQueryLangWith tsquery_and
 
-prefixOrQuery :: SearchTerm -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
+prefixOrQuery :: (NonEmpty (TsQuery Words)) -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
 prefixOrQuery = prefixOrQueryLang "english"
 
 -- | same as 'prefixAndQueryLang' but uses || to combine quereis
-prefixOrQueryLang :: RegConfig -> SearchTerm -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
+prefixOrQueryLang :: RegConfig -> (NonEmpty (TsQuery Words)) -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
 prefixOrQueryLang = prefixAndQueryLangWith tsquery_or
 
 -- | allows specifying which binary operation is used for combining queries.
 prefixAndQueryLangWith :: (SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
       -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
-      -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))) -> RegConfig -> SearchTerm -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
-prefixAndQueryLangWith binOp language (SearchTerm ts) =
+      -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))) -> RegConfig -> (NonEmpty (TsQuery Words)) -> SqlExpr (Value (TsQuery Lexemes))
+prefixAndQueryLangWith binOp language ts =
   foldr1 binOp
   $ map (to_tsquery (val language) . val) $ toList ts
 
+-- | same as 'prefixAndQuery' without wrapping 'to_tsquery'.
+andWords :: NonEmpty (TsQuery Words) -> TsQuery Words
+andWords = foldr1 (:&)
 
--- | A valid search term.
---   created with 'toSearchTerm'.
-newtype SearchTerm = SearchTerm { unQuery :: NonEmpty (TsQuery Words) }
-  deriving stock Show
-  deriving newtype Semigroup
+-- | same as 'prefixOrQuery' without wrapping 'to_tsquery'.
+orWords :: NonEmpty (TsQuery Words) -> TsQuery Words
+orWords = foldr1 (:|)
 
 -- | Constructs a valid search query, removes a bunch of illegal
 --   characters and splits the terms for better results.
@@ -174,14 +208,14 @@
 --
 --   using a search term is optional, but it's probably what you want.
 --   all underlying primitives are exposed.
-toSearchTerm :: Text -> Maybe SearchTerm
+toSearchTerm :: Text -> Maybe (NonEmpty (TsQuery Words))
 toSearchTerm = toSearchTermWeighted []
 
 -- | create a search term with some weight, this allows for restricting on specific weighs.
 --   see: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/textsearch-controls.html#TEXTSEARCH-PARSING-QUERIES
 --   use the semigroup instance on search term to combine searchterms.
-toSearchTermWeighted :: [Weight] -> Text -> Maybe SearchTerm
-toSearchTermWeighted weights q = SearchTerm .  fmap (Word Prefix weights) <$> nonEmpty qs
+toSearchTermWeighted :: [Weight] -> Text -> Maybe (NonEmpty (TsQuery Words))
+toSearchTermWeighted weights q = fmap (Word Prefix weights) <$> nonEmpty qs
   -- We disallow whitespace, \ and ' for the sake of producing a Text
   -- that can fit postgresql's requirements for to_tsquery's text
   -- argument. Note that this is not done nor needed for security reasons
diff --git a/test/Database/Esqueleto/TextSearchSpec.hs b/test/Database/Esqueleto/TextSearchSpec.hs
--- a/test/Database/Esqueleto/TextSearchSpec.hs
+++ b/test/Database/Esqueleto/TextSearchSpec.hs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 module Database.Esqueleto.TextSearchSpec (main, spec) where
 
 import Control.Monad (forM_)
-import Data.Maybe (fromJust)
+import Data.Maybe
 import Data.Text (Text, pack)
 
 import Control.Monad.IO.Class (MonadIO(liftIO))
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
        )
 import Database.Persist.TH
        (mkMigrate, mkPersist, persistUpperCase, share, sqlSettings)
-import Test.Hspec (Spec, describe, hspec, it, shouldBe)
+import Test.Hspec
 import Test.QuickCheck
        (Arbitrary(..), choose, elements, listOf, listOf1, oneof, property)
 
@@ -272,6 +272,43 @@
         where_ $ (a^. ArticleTextsearch) @@. query2
         return a
       liftIO $ length result2 `shouldBe` 0
+
+    it "works with andwords" $ run $ do
+      let article = Article "some title" "some content" defaultTsVector
+      arId <- insert article
+      update  $ \a -> do
+        set a [ArticleTextsearch =. to_etsvector (a^.ArticleContent)]
+      let query = to_tsquery (val "english") (val $ andWords $ fromMaybe (error "empty") $ toSearchTerm "some content")
+      result <- select $ from $ \a -> do
+        where_ $ (a^. ArticleTextsearch) @@. query
+        return a
+      liftIO $ do
+        length result `shouldBe` 1
+        map entityKey result `shouldBe` [arId]
+      let query2 = to_tsquery (val "english") (val $ andWords $ fromMaybe (error "empty") $ toSearchTerm "foo content")
+      result2 <- select $ from $ \a -> do
+        where_ $ (a^. ArticleTextsearch) @@. query2
+        return a
+      liftIO $ length result2 `shouldBe` 0
+
+    it "works with orwords" $ run $ do
+      let article = Article "some title" "some content" defaultTsVector
+      arId <- insert article
+      update  $ \a -> do
+        set a [ArticleTextsearch =. to_etsvector (a^.ArticleContent)]
+      let query = to_tsquery (val "english") (val $ orWords $ fromMaybe (error "empty") $ toSearchTerm "some content")
+      result <- select $ from $ \a -> do
+        where_ $ (a^. ArticleTextsearch) @@. query
+        return a
+      liftIO $ do
+        length result `shouldBe` 1
+        map entityKey result `shouldBe` [arId]
+      let query2 = to_tsquery (val "english") (val $ orWords $ fromMaybe (error "empty") $ toSearchTerm "foo content")
+      result2 <- select $ from $ \a -> do
+        where_ $ (a^. ArticleTextsearch) @@. query2
+        return a
+      liftIO $ length result2 `shouldBe` 1
+
 
   describe "ts_rank_cd" $ do
     it "works as expected" $ run $ do